


Salt

by I_fell_asleep



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drabble, M/M, merfolk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-02
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-10-01 18:19:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17249108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_fell_asleep/pseuds/I_fell_asleep
Summary: A meaningless drabble about something meaningful.





	Salt

Moonlight kissed the area in and around the water, making everything silver and blue, stark and revealing. The bottom of the pool could be seen, it's position below the glass ceiling and sheer cleanliness making it easy, like a photoset or something from a dream. Or at least he assumed it was, a depressed mind didn't create dreams and he hadn't taken anything for it lately, trying to prove there was actually something wrong.

Faint ripples ran over the water's surface with every movement of the creature inside, breaking the glass-like quality. Blue on blue on blue.

Noctis dragged his feet to the pool side avoiding the steps for once, followed closely. He needed to feel something. Feeling helped, and the only way he could at the moment was externally: curling his toes around the edge, falling forward with a sickening jolt, impact, drifting - although none of it was enough. 

When he resurfaced he was touched gently, barely and he felt grateful for it even though he didn't mind - and needed it - tonight. But his voice sounded wrong and he didn't want to say anything more than one quiet, "Prom..." yet he didn't know how how to touch back or pull Prompto closer, or do anything but stand there.

"I can't stay long."

"Mhm." 

"The water here, it's..."

"Mm." 

"I'm sorry."

It was too clean. The water here was filtered so humans could enter without worry. It had been meant for meetings and discussions, but turned down because the chemicals made it unsafe for any merfolk to use for long, or even any of the half-breeds that had become so common.

The remaining land-dwelling humans were careful when it came to living. They were on their last legs after all. 

Still Prompto came to see him. Noctis wasn't sure if it was stupid or sweet. Habit perhaps. Or just something they wouldn't talk about because they didn't really need to. Although maybe they did and Noctis just didn't like to talk about things, didn't think he could. 

"I haven't seen you for a while." Prompto said. "I kept coming here but you never did. I almost gave up."

Underwater their fingers found each other. His head became just a little more fuzzy, matching his chlorine drunk vision and Prompto brushed water from his eyes so he could see better, smiling.

"But I knew you'd come eventually. You always do."

Noctis nodded, brought his hand up to Prompto's blue tinted face and brushed his fingers across until his eyes fell shut. He could look at him properly then. It wasn't that Prompto's eyes looked wrong or anything - Prompto was fine, beautiful even, nice to look at - Noctis just didn't feel like he could make eye contact at the moment. His brain was at war with himself and the simplest things became terrifying, the most fun utterly boring.

He'd still forced himself here, not because he wanted to get out of bed, but because he wanted Prompto more than he wanted to to lie awake for hours hoping to get at least an hour of sleep. 

He couldn't help but to grab Prompto then, to tug him up sharply so their foreheads touched and Prompto gripped his waist in surprise. 

He never thought much when Prompto touched him. It felt like being touched, not like being shocked. Prom was safe. Prom was trusted. Prom was comfortable. Noctis didn't feel that way about many people. So it was always a little surprising how right it felt. 

"You alright?" Whispered Prompto.

"Dunno." He replied. 'No' would have been the right answer, at least, that's what part of his brain said. Despite how quiet his voice was it still sounded wrong.

Prompto just hummed softly, and  _that_ sounded right, surprisingly, even if it wasn't a human sound or something meant to be heard by a land-dweller. 

_Love._

For now it was okay. But Noctis could never be sure when something would stay okay. He just hoped Prompto would understand when - or if - things went wrong. The fact that he came here suggested he would. Maybe.

He clutched him tighter, kissed his temple just barely and waited for him to leave. Prompto's breath was already coming out strangely but he waited. Depending on when he'd feel okay again they might not see each other for a while. But Prompto was right. Noctis would always come back. No matter what that meant. 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Am I gonna continue this? Probably not. I have the ambition of a tired snail so do what you want with it.


End file.
